Throughout the country, state-provided resources for job seekers are drying up. Staff shortages, mandatory layoffs and furlough days that close facilities all impact the employment offices’ ability to provide comprehensive one-on-one services. It wasn’t that long ago that if you were out of work, you could have gone to your local unemployment office, talked to…
“Have Gun – Will Travel reads the card of man.” So went the lines of the theme song (and title) to the popular western starring Richard Boone as Paladin, a soldier of fortune and gun for hire that ran on CBS from 1957 through 1963. Here was a guy who liberally passed out business cards…
There are an awful lot of things that get in the way of our success, whether the objective is looking for and finding work, or any other personally important endeavor. Fear of rejection and failure in the job search are among the most cited concerns voiced by job seekers. “What if I don’t get the…
A client recently called to say she had just returned from an interview with a company where she really wanted to work, and that she felt her interview went very well. I asked why she felt so confident that she had a good interview, and she said, “I had no trouble answering all their questions,…
One of the questions I get asked most often is: “Do I need to customize my resume for each job that I apply for?” Unless you are applying for only one specific kind of job with little variance to the functions you want to perform (and even then so), the answer is Yes, you do…
Recently I met with a small business owner and we discussed recruiting for his growing business. When I asked him if he did any of his recruiting online and if he looked at resumes posted on job search sites, he answered with a very enthusiastic “Yes!”. He told me he has been successful in filling…
In school, were you the one who always had a better/different way of doing things? When the teacher was explaining that 2 + 2 = 4, were you the one who said the same result could be achieved by adding 3 +1? Or by subtracting 1 from 5? If you’re still looking at things a…
Whether you are a new graduate looking for your first major gig, or an experienced professional who has been laid off, open and honest communication with your network of family, friends and industry peers is your best bet for making headway in your job search. It is not uncommon to feel withdrawn when you’re out…
An Objective statement on your resume, and reiterated in your cover letter is a concise way for you to communicate your career goals. Too often Objective statements are written as flowery batches of verbiage that convey little or nothing about the job seeker’s real aspirations. Once upon a time it was OK to use a…
Look, I know the economy sucks right now. People are getting laid off in record numbers and you begin to wonder whether looking for a job is worth the effort. Your frustrations mount because there are bills to be paid, you’ve got personal and familial responsibilities, and the outlook is less than optimistic. Well, I…
My conversation with a young cab driver the other day went something like this: Hank: If you weren’t driving this cab, what you rather be doing? Cabbie: I’m not sure. I’ve thought about doing a lot of different things. I only graduated high school last year and needed to find work, and this is what…
With the unemployment rate rising, it is apparent that more people are completing for fewer jobs. And as employers are receiving more resumes than they have positions to fill, they can’t always spend the time coding, classifying and filing all the resumes they receive – electronic or paper – for present or future consideration. Even…
There’s no question that one’s skills, experience and qualifications should be the primary consideration by an employer when selecting a candidate for hiring. But one of the most important skill sets any applicant can bring to a job is far less recognizable from interviewing alone. The qualities one brings for being able to deal with…
Where will the jobs of tomorrow be? What industries will be hot, and sustaining 5, 10, 15, 25, 50 years from now? Most people doing a job search right now aren’t overly concerned with what will be the hot gigs of the next 20 to 50 years. And employers are mostly concerned with finding and…
Recently I got a call from a client whose resume I worked on about 4 years ago. In that time her responsibilities grew and became quite varied, particularly compared to what she thought she would be doing. So while her work had progressed, she never received a promotion or a more advanced job title. Now…
You can take this title in a variety of ways, and likely you’d be right. But the issue of the moment lies in the details of what you have previously told your current employer. Picture this: You’ve been on the job for a few years, built effective relationships, trust and a good record of productivity…
Well, you can, but it’ll cost you! Possibly big time! That cell phone in your pocket or purse, excellent tool that it is, can cost you a job! Especially if it goes off at an inopportune time like an interview, or even while waiting for that all-important meeting. Do I really need to remind you…
Got a call recently from a former associate who told me he was being laid off at the end of the month. At the time of his call, he had 2 weeks remaining on the job, and he was just starting to reach out to his network. Because he works for a nonprofit organization, I…
One of the themes that will get expressed frequently in this space is the importance of being concise and brief. Among the biggest mistakes job seekers make is giving too much information, in resumes, interviews, and networking. Sometimes this comes from nervousness, sometimes from a lack of language skills, but more often, from our pride…
If you’re one of the lucky few that found an internship in your field of choice, further congratulations are in order. Play your cards right, and that internship could lead to a decent position and your career is on track. But not everyone knows what they want to do after they get their diploma. There…
